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Serial verbs
Serial verb constructions basically are a string of verbs having the same subject. In Kah, verbs can be juxtaposed in order to build an expression. In the following sentences there is more than one main verb: Yunyo de weyun wa they come see me They came to see me Literally: "They come see me" Nubo naini denu bandola enter bus go town They took the bus to town Literally: "(They) entered the bus go town" Simbu za champe janko senka boy take pencil write name The boy wrote his name with a pencil Literally: "The boy took pencil wrote name" Serial verb constructions express many things covered by prepositions in languages like English, like: - location - instrumental - comparative - finitive - purpose Locative Locative serial verb constructions have a function that corresponds with that of prepositions in other languages. Compare the following Kah sentence and its English counterpart: Ya nainu wi chu lau denu Pilimas it be far very leave here go Plymouth It is very far from here to Plymouth Bau gevu de wa dog run come me The dog ran towards me Instrumental Instrumental serial verb constructions indicate by or with which an action is accomplished. In short, it tells with what something is done: Yu za tuya tu seki she took knife cut meat She cut the meat with a knife Yu le simpe pomporo moso she hold stick stir milk She stirred the milk with a stick Comparison Kah has no separate comparative or superlative form for qualifiers such as adjectives. Instead, a serial verb construction containing a qualifying verb is combined with the verbtunti "to surpass, be better than" is used: Maik nenje tunti li Mike be smart surpass you Mike is smarter than you Mul wan tunti me cow be big surpass sheep Cows are bigger than sheep When a superlative meaning is expressed, the verb tio expresses the notion of "surpassing all". Jan Sin wen tio john little be tall surpass all Little John is the tallest. Finitive Finitive serial verb constructions express the action is carried out to the end. This usually is done by incorporating the verb bas to end, finish, but verbs like mimia to kill and kai to close also occur in this respect. Bau kiza seki bas dog eat meat finish The dog ate up the meat Winyo cheche yu mimia crowd beat him kill The crowd beat him to death Yu bunche doki kai he slam door close He slammed the door shut Purpose In many instances when two verbs are juxtaposed, this expresses purpose: Yunyo de weyun wa they come see me They came to see me Denu ka yu! go tell him! Go and tell him! The very same idea could be expressed with the conjunctor eno in order to without making any difference: Yunyo de eno weyun wa they come to see me They came to see me Denu eno ka yu! go to tell him! Go and tell him!